How to prepare a patio foundation to keep voles from digging under?
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There are many voles in the area and they dig tunnels and holes all over the yard. I want to put down a patio in the back yard but fear that the foundation will be weakened by these tunnels and sink.
Cute little creatures, but can be destructive. Build or purchase a windmill. Then build your patio. If using concrete, the pad has to be quite thick, it won't cave in, you will be fine. Besides once you pour your patio, they have no where to go and will tunnel elsewhere.
why buy a windmill?
I find that my cats do an excellent job killing the moles on my patio. My cats are indoor cats and my patio has a picket fence which the cats could easily get over but being inside cats they are too timid to stray off and I find within 5 minutes of putting them out they will catch a mole. Of course I leave the door open so the cats can come back in whenever they want.
What are "voles"? I grew up in southern CALIFORNIA and I've never heard of them. We had trouble with gophers most of the time. The worst part was when we would find them at the bottom of the pool. Apparently they can't swim. I suppose that's one way we got rid of some.
I'm 67 and never heard of them either. I thought we had gophers all these years but they are voles. I killed one the other day and it looked just like this. The darned little things are cute, but they have holes all over the yard! I've seen gophers and they are pretty ugly. I am still in Southern CA and these little creatures are everywhere!!!
I had cats but live on a busy street and lost some to cars, even the inside cats. Coyotes got a couple of my cats, too. I wish the coyotes would start eating the darned voles. Maybe they don't taste good.